


The Plight of a Man

by TimeMovesOn



Category: Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald
Genre: Angst, Daisy sucks, Gen, let's be real, lots of unnamed tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-21
Updated: 2019-07-21
Packaged: 2020-07-10 05:20:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19900474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TimeMovesOn/pseuds/TimeMovesOn
Summary: A missing scene from the book, set during the time Gatsby and Nick spent together the night before Gatsby's death, in which Nick hears the story of James Gatz.





	The Plight of a Man

We were silent for a long while, that fateful morning, after I had agreed to wait with him. We both were preoccupied, thinking about the events of the day before to hold any real meaningful conversation, though I suspect our trains of thought were very different. I could feel it in the air, a sort of unspoken tension that refused to be broken. It was not altogether uncomfortable, but merely a fact that it was there. As we roamed the circuitous halls of that great palace (that will forever remain in my memory as grand and impressive despite the outcome), a word was not said until we came upon the library where Owl Eyes had exclaimed delight at the reality of the books. Gatsby, looking calmer now but still a little wild eyed, broke the silence at last.

“You know, old sport, I don’t think anyone knows the true story of Jay Gatsby. I have to say, I’ve wanted to tell you for a long time now.” And so, the explanation began. Though I listened with rapt attention, my gaze could not help wander to his face and hands as he gestured about. The act of telling seemed to pain him in a way I had not seen before, not even at confessing to Daisy’s crime or when he saw the undeniable proof of Daisy’s life with Tom in Pammy. It was almost as if telling me who he truly was, James Gatz, he was having to uncover a great family secret. Although, I suppose it was, but lately I had gotten into the habit of believing everything and nothing about my neighbor. 

Coming up to his room, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the final letter Daisy ever sent him. “This, old sport, is what gave me hope. For even though the future seemed bleak, she said she still loved me and always would. I knew if only I could make something of myself and get back to her, everything would be as it should.”

My eyes were wide with astonishment at this man’s unshakable certainty that the future would be better. With some uneasiness, I began to tell him what I knew of Daisy’s side from Jordan, though I am sure he already knew it. Indeed, he may have thought of little else since learning the information. When I got to the letter that Daisy had sobbed over on her wedding day, I wondered aloud whether he knew what letter I was talking about. 

He looked at me thoughtfully for a moment, then turned to the large window to his right. We were now on the second floor, approaching that grand staircase down to the ballroom, and we could see that faint green light off in the distance. It seemed every silent second we stared at it, it got fainter and fainter.

“Nick, old sport, I believe that letter you mention may have been my final moments in the force and the last letter I sent her. In it, I pledged to her all that you see now and more. She deserves the best, you see.” He paused again, then quietly said, “I told her that even if I did not make it back to her, know that I will always love her.”

I could picture the scene much more clearly now: Daisy, about to marry for money and security, sobbing over a flame who promised the world and might just get snuffed out. More silence, as we kept on walking through the silent halls. That tension returned. I glanced briefly at him some time later; he was looking at me, and his expression was one close to fondness. I think, in that moment, we had an understanding between us that I was the one he now knew Gatsby the best, and for that he was pleased. After everything, I am both happy for the times I spent with him that morning and remorseful, for it made the following events that much more difficult to bear.

**Author's Note:**

> I know, I know, this is super dramatic, but it was certainly fun to write. This is something I wrote for English class and thought "why the heck not post it online." I hope you enjoyed!


End file.
